Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-08-11
WORKOUT FARM LANDS.
The Simplest Way OF Restoring Fertility
to Oyercr0pped Soils.


ers as that of restoring worn-out soils
The raising of certain crops on the
same land for several years in success
sion has a tendency to injure the soil
by extracting from it certain mineral
or vegetable fertilizers in an excess of
others, thus leaving the soil in poor
condition for raising general crops 1t
is well known that wheat lands soon
become deteriorated, the cause being
that this plant robs the soil of large
quantities of that most valuable of
mineral fertilizers, phosphate of lime.
Exhaustion of the soil follows as an in
evitable consequence. Corn, on the
contrary, does not require this fertil-
izer for its growth, but if it is well sup
piled with nitrogen or ammonia it will
flourish on land which successful crops
of wheat have robbed of nearly all
phosphate of lime. Thus corn proves
to be a good restorer of lost fertility
caused by growing wheat on it
Corn itself, however, will also ex.
haust the land in time, if raised unin-
terruptedly year after year on the same
piece of ground. The nitrogen which
it absorbs in large quantities is not the
only cause, as this can be supplied
artifcially. and during warm weather
it is developed rapidly on soils when
supplied with vegetable matter. But
corn does not give any thing to the
soil in return for its nourishment, and
in time the various mineral and vege-
table ingredients which are 80 essen
%sa1
tinued cultivation, and the soil be-
comes poor and exhausted.
An all round remover of WORKOUT
lands is generally recognized in clover
by farmers. The benefits which this
crop give to the soil are variously es-
timated in different localities, but
where it is used moderately for restor-
ing lost fertility it always gives good
results. One great trouble with it is
is impossible or difficult to get good
catch of clover. The farmer tries il
a season or two. and gives up the at
tempt in disgust. This is evidently pro-
voking work, but when it is remembered
that clover. as all other plants, can not
spring from nothing, but must have
some sort of nourishment for the good
which it confers in return, better I'M
of the question may be OBJ
tanned. Wheat requires considerable
phosphate of lime for its growth, corn
demands plenty of nitrogen and clover
has its own peculiar needs.
Clover benefits two kinds of soils in
different ways. Sandy soil is always de-
ficient in mineral plant food. which
teaches downward beyond the reach of
the plant roots. This is drawn to the
surface and mixed with the top-soil by
the clover. Heavy soils are disinte-
grated by clover, especially when the
clods are deep below the surface where
othe1 plants can not reach them
of acres of heavy soil are in
such condition that clover will not
grow freely on them, because the
ground is too lumpy. Thorough Guilt
Vation, and continual working over I'M
til the Jumps are pretty well pulveriZed
will do more good toward fitting such
land for good crop of clover than any
other work. Fall and spring blowing
benefits such land very materially. If
the land is plowed in the fall it is well
to SOW winter rye, for it makes
a good foundation for clover, and often
grows where clover will not catch we'll
1t protects the soil in winter, if sowed
early enough, and at the rate of two
bushels of seed to the acre, and in the
spring it provides green heritage which
can be turned under to induce fermen-
tation. In poor soil rye will not grow
much, but when sown thickly it will
catch enough to answer all purposes.
After the rye has been turned under in
the spring oats or barley should be
sown, with little clover seed mixed
with it. If the land is still too poor to
raise clover, the oats should be plowed
under just before coming into head
The land will then be in a condition to
raise not only clover, but other paying
crops AS the preparations have been
made for the purpose of getting good
catch of clover, it is better TO SOW this
crop the first year and enrich the soil as
much as possible before exhausting it
again by other plants
After land is once restored to fertil-
itv by the use of clover and other
grasses it should not be deteriOrated
again by overcropping. If it is neces-
sary to crop heavily, clover should be
sown every third or fourth season. Cut
and feed the clover to pay for the cul-
tivation of the land and let the second
crop 90 to manure If the first crop is
thus used, the second crop should not
be taken off the field, but allowed to
enrich the soil. The roots of the sec
Dad crop strike deeper into the subsoil
after moisture during June until Sep
TENDER. when the ground is commonly
parched by drouth. 1t loosens the soil
below and extracts from it cOnsidera-
BILE plant food. If the clover is plowed
-. ~ ftor. tho nrnr, IL cnt the farmer